5 Ways to Maximize Space in Your Studio Apartment

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In a small space like a studio apartment, it can be difficult to figure out how to go about organizing it effectively and decorating it appropriately and to your taste. You have to be careful and aware of what furniture pieces to buy, what colors to paint your walls, and what accessories to weave throughout your official (tight) space. While you want to make your studio homey, you also don’t want to clutter it up or have too much going on to the point where it doesn’t look or feel comfortable.

Managing all of your belongings in a small studio is no easy task. The reality of living in a studio can leave us with little options, however, there is hope by finding new and creative ways to store your belongings! Are you currently living in a studio apartment? Do you feel lost and frustrated trying to figure out how to maximize space while keeping your belongings? Need some simple tips on how to effectively store items without having to purge all of your possessions? These five tips will give your studio a comfortable feeling and organized look- you’re going to wish you would have known about these sooner, trust me!

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1. Storage Bed: In a small space, the most important thing to do is to utilize your space the best you can. In a lot of cases, this means sacrificing some furniture items to make the space for livable and breathable. A full-sized dresser and a bed can take up a large amount of area in a studio, which is where a storage bed comes in to save the day! Storage beds are amazing because they function as two pieces of furniture in one! You’ll typically see storage beds that have a set of drawers underneath the bed itself, making it a perfect place to sleep and store your clothes! Don’t you just love a dual purpose item?

2. Partitions: I know I’m not the only one who thinks of Beyonce when I hear the word “partition,” right? In all honesty, though, partitions are an awesome way to maximize space and add pizzazz to your studio apartment. It is no surprise or shock that studio apartments don’t have sectioned off rooms like traditional apartments and homes do. However, partitions are great because they can give the feel of having a private space or a sectioned area. There are a few ways to section off your studio, with the most common forms of partitions being either curtains or portable screens.

Toria Sheffield of Bustle suggests some out-of-the-box, fun ways to break up space with area rugs, for instance, noting “a statement rug is a subtle yet effective way to create the illusion of separate areas. A bold carpet in the living-room space doesn’t block any light or create awkward partitions, but still can make you feel like it is a distinct area from the bed.”

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3. Floating Shelves: Shelves are awesome pieces of furniture that help you store books, sentimental items, movies, etc., however, shelves can take up an awful lot of space, making your already small studio seem like a hole that is going to swallow you up. No one wants to be buried by their “Harry Potter” book collection — am I right?

To help free up some space, try adding floating shelves to your walls! Floating shelves look great wherever you place them, however, if you try adding the shelves around a focal point in your space, such as above your bed or around your mantle or sofa, it helps to tie the whole style together.

For example, Carol Schoenfield of HGTV offers this tip, stating, “Maximize your space by adding a pair of floating shelves above the sofa. The additional surfaces provide room for displaying artwork and other mood objects, such as candles or plants.”

4. Take Advantage of Natural Light: In a studio apartment, taking advantage of natural light is a great way to open up the space in general. Kelly Weimert of The Spruce affirms this stating, “natural light has a knack for making any space feel more open and airy, so maximize yours as much as possible.”

Adding mirrors in the direction of natural light is another great way to give the illusion that your studio is larger than it appears. When decorating your apartment, place a mirror, whatever size of your choice, in front of a window. Doing this will reflect the outside, making your space look bigger while also reflecting the sunshine to add brightness to your space and boost your mood.

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5. When in Doubt, Go Minimal: Have you ever heard of the phrase, “less is more”? Well, in the case of a studio apartment, less is more and will give you more! The minimalist lifestyle is definitely not for everyone, but if you are someone that doesn’t already have a lot of belongings, then you should look into taking on a minimalist style in your studio.

Try incorporating the color white into furniture pieces, accessories, or on your walls! White will help to make the space feel more open and less cramped and tight. Additionally, try limiting yourself to a few key pieces of furniture that serve a purpose for every “room” like the living area, kitchen, bedroom, etc.

Sometimes living in a studio apartment can be hard, especially when it comes to figuring out where to put furniture, how to store/organize all of your belongings, and maximize your space as much as possible. However, after following these easy tips, you’ll come to find that achieving a breathable yet cozy apartment is easier than you think! As always, good luck!

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